Programmed association game

ABSTRACT

An educational, competitive, information game employing groups of two-sided playpieces, each bearing on the two respective sides different information which is related in meaning to each other and to information on other playpieces within the same group, and a display board having plural arrays of unique playing positions within a scorecard perimeter coherently keyed to the playing positions, the whole adapted in conjunction with appurtenances to motivate players to learn by playing.

United States Patent 2,766,987 10/1956 Seelbrede et al.

Clarence L. Elder 916 E. North Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21202 765,239 Oct. 4, 1968 July 20. 1971 Inventor Appl. No Filed Patented PROGRAMMED ASSOCIATION GAME 5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

2,791,430 v5/1957 King 273/130 2,871,581 2/1959 Guzak 273/135 X 3,394,471 7/1968 Holten 35/35 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkhlam Att0rneysl. Wesley Everett and George L. Brehm ABSTRACT: An educational, competitive, information game employing groups of two-sided playpieces, each bearing on the two respective sides different information which is related in meaning to each other and to information on other playpieces within the same group, and a display board having plural arrays of unique playing positions within a scorecard perimeter coherently keyed to the playing positions, the whole adapted in conjunction with appurtenances to motivate players to learn by playing.

PATENTED JULZUIS?! 3,594,003

SHEET 1 BF 4 INVENTOR.

CLARENCE LELDER PATENTED JULZO Ian A SHEET 2 OF 4 i-.OO3

RELATED WORD PLAYPIECES IN GROUPS OF DIFFERENT COLORS OR coDED.

TOP BOTTOM SOAK 40 E EATURATE A a SOAK W08 DRENCH i I a A SATURATE GROUPI H6219 DRE Ci 46% 50%1 l R N 3] 1 CODE I BOTTOM OF ONE OF CHOSEN SATURATE l SOAK GROUP WORD PLAYPIECES. EXAMPLEI CHOSEN WORD SOAK' CALLED WORD 'DRENCH TOP BOTTOM J .EQAKL. 40 I 4 W03 SATURATE T SOAK T wos DRENCH I FIG. 3

SHORT T H 130% BRIEF YMBOLS SHORT Q =MISSED WORD COVER .1 lHOHS CONCISE 68;@ H GROUP IO BONUS CONCISE 70 COLOR ORANGE E] LETTER BRIEF CODE X SHORT 72 X22 1 {W =CONTROL LETTER COVER CONCISE HSIQNOQ SHDRT I X] SCORING COVER C 621.1 BSIDNOO l BRIEF FIG. 2

. 76 3 =3gf g BONUS J ra lxjg gig 3 j ksgyeomus Fla INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY PAIENIEI] M20 IS?! ALL PLAYPIECES MAY BE THE SAME COLOR WHERE ANSWER AND QUESTION ARE SHOWN TOGETHER GROUP MADE BY FIXED NUMBER OF RELATED WORDS.

TOP BOTTOM 867 SOAK SATURATEE SOAK a I SOAK SATURATEE, SATURAIE 5 SATURATE 2 DRENCH I ISATURATE I SATURATE DRENCH LI I DRENCH LI DRENCH I SOAK E DRENCH E DRENCH 3 SOAK I I SOAK E I I 1 i m; C SHORT c I SHORT I BRIEF C BRIEF BR F I coIEIsE H I BR'EF H I E FE SE H I I CONCISE HI CONCISE SHORT A CONCISE A Icowcxss [I I 5 II SHORT SHORT IP LETTERS won I 2 3 e 7 a 9 LETTERS LOST E W E SHEET I []F 4 GROUP I GROUP IO ON PLAYPIECES WHERE CHOSEN WORD IS ONE OF WORDS ON TOP IT WILL BE ON BOTTOM OF SOME. EXAMPLE'.- CHOSEN WORD 'SOAK' TOP BOT TOM SOAK SATURATE 1 I SOAK E I SOAK E SATURATE ISATURATE E I DRENCH SOAK e I DRENCH 3 DRENCH 3 I SOAK G SOAK G WHEN CONTROL LETTERS ARE NOT SHOWN ON THE BOARD OR PLAY- PIECES, BOTTOM LETTERS MAY ALTERNATE.

TOP BOTTOM SOAK SATURATE I LSOAK I SOAK T AT L I SATURATE I E UR E INVENTUR.

CLARENCE L. DER

ATTORN EY PROGRAMMED ASSOCIATION GAME This invention relates generally to games, and specifically to an educational game method.

Essence of the invention is in the provision of an association educational game including a game board on which are positioned flat playpieces information marked on both faces and identified with groups having subject matter with related meanings, the whole adapted with scoring means to stimulate learning by playing, through competitive selection and correlated repositioning of the information associated playpieces.

In brief outline, the operations of the game of this invention consist in making educated (and educational) guesses about the relations between markings on the revealed and concealed faces of the flat playpieces, which are uniquely positioned on a gameboard, and in scoring successful guesses by repositioning the playpieces to correlated scoring spaces on the board in accordance with conditions for winning imposed by indicia, such as that of spelling a word incrementally while scoring. Chance is supplied through arrangementof the subject matter of the game itself according to the orientation of the flat playpieces.

Questions, or stimulus subjects, appear on the revealed faces of the playpieces and answers, or related information, are provided on the concealed faces. Use of this arrangement instead of arbitrary dictators such as dice or wheels, to provide a chance element, gives a player some command over his own fate; this is :the beginning of self-motivation. Choice of questions andanswers will depend on the course of study programmed into the game. Later, it will become apparent that the game is well suited to the teaching of courses found in formal curricula.

An object of the invention therefore is to provide game means for self-motivating students to instruct themselves in disciplines normally requiring classroom instruction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a programmed association game having elements of chance, in which arrangements of the subject matter of instruction provide the elements of chance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an educational tool where the participant may learn by the association of things in various forms.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a competitive information game including uniquely positioned related marked playpieces for associative matching to achieve conditional scoring, and a scoring area keyed to the unique positions for the playpieces to impose conditions on the scoring.

A further object of this invention is to provide an alternative scoring means on which the winning player may be indicated by position of markers showing simultaneously and respectively both positive and negative progress of the players between limiting goals.

And a further object of this invention is to provide a programmed learning game means flexibly adapted to accommodate, motivate, and educate players of varied ages and educational backgrounds without essential change in the game.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the type described which is readily adapted for systematic, effective, and economical conveyance of information in wide spectrum of categories, with minimal modification.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of the game board of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of both faces of two groups of playpieces;

FIG. 2A is a plan view of both faces of a modified form of playpiece;

FIG. 3 is a view like that of FIG. 2 of both faces of playpieces;

FIG. 4 shows various tokens and symbols used in the game of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view ofa gameboard essentially similar to a portion of the game board of FIG. I with playpieces positioned on the board;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are views like that of FIG. 2, of both faces of embodimentsof playpieces; and

FIG. 9 shows a scorecard.

Referring now in detail to FIG. 1, the game board 20 is square-shaped. Diagonal lines 22 divide the board into four triangular sections, which are marked with the letters A, B, C, and D.

THe outer block areas 24, 26, 28 and 30 of the respective sections are scorecards. These cards are equally divided into scoring spaces 32. Each of the scoring spaces is marked with a control letter 34, and these indicia preferably are in coherent sequence. In FIG. I, for example, the control letters spell the word CHALLENGE" when read from left to right.

Playing positions numbered from one to fifteen are indicated by rectangular markings 3 6. These rectangular markings are arranged in rows, in a triangular array, with the base of the triangle toward the scorecard, in each section.

Each row in the array is identified by a row control letter 38 at an end of the row. Unlike the control letters on the scorecards, the row control letters differ in arrangement from sector to sector, but correspond to some of the control letters on the scorecards.

It can thus be seen (I) that each playing position ,is unique by virtue of the combination of A, B, C, D, sector markings and the serial numbers; (2) that, to the extent that the row control letters (38, FIG. I) are varied, the playing positions in the several sectors bear varied relations to theword spelled by the control letters on the scorecards because of the abovedescribed differences in row control letters; and (3) that therefore the positions occupied confront the respective players with opportunities which superficially appear to be similar in difficulty, but which may be substantially varied by the game programmer. It will become apparent below that this arrangement affords the programmer wide scope for handicapping of the playing positions to compensate for inequalities in player capacity.

A further feature of this invention is the X shown at playing position A-8, FIG. I, which designates a bonus position having playing advantages told below.

FIG. 2 shows the front and back appearances of two representative groups of playpieces, 4II62. These are flattened, and of generally rectangular shape.

The six playpieces 40-50 of Group I are typical. The group is identified by common coloration as providing related information. Since there are 60 playing positions on game board 20, shown in FIG. 1, 10 such groups of playpieces will normally be needed for use with this particular heard.

On the six playpieces in Group II are three different words, in various combinations. THe variations form a principal element of chance in the game, and'also prevent the associationv technique from becoming mastered.

In play, the playpieces of FIG. 2 and others like them are arranged on the game board of FIG. 1 according to predesign, or by random selection, in correspondence with the playing positions. A player in his turn calls out the position of a playpiece he selects as his challenge".

As indicated in FIG. 3, the word on the bottom of a playpiece, as SATURATE at 40, comprises a hidden answer to a question stimulated by a word displayed on the top of the playpiece, in thisinstance SOAK. Obviously the question raised by this piece falls in the field of English language definitions, and specifically is: "What is the synonym of s0ak" on the hidden side of this playpiece? When a player has given or called" his response, he turns the piece over and finds the answer.

When the associations stimulated by one side of the pieces have been mastered, the pieces may be reversed to provide a test, or for variation. The challenge to players may be increased by dispensing with color or coding of the playpieces.

If the player has responded correctly, and in addition has been fortunate in his choice of playpiece, he is rewarded by a scoring opportunity on one of two further conditions. The further conditions are in the alternative. The first condition is that an appropriate scoring space 32, to which the playpiece in point may be removed, must be open" or available on the scorecard in the players particular sector (A, B, C or D, FIG. 1). (What constitutes an appropriate open" scoring space will be described later in reference to FIG. 5).

If there is no appropriate scoring space 32 open to receive the playpiece, the alternative condition applies: the player may remove the playpiece and reserve it as one score in the talley, provided that he does not have already in reserve a piece so acquired.

If a player finds on turning over a playpiece that he has not responded correctly, that piece is covered with a missed word cover 66, FIG. 4, and is left in position until a word is missed on another playpiece in the same section, at which time the cover is removed and placed over the playpiece bearing the newly missed word. FIG. 5 indicates such use ofa missed word cover 66 at B2. If a player loses while playing in a section other than his own, he must forfeit a letter of his choice which he has won, or-will win, to that other section or player, as exemplified by the transfer of the playpiece labeled DISPLAY in FIG. 5 from the A section scorecard to the B section scorecard.

FIG. 5 shows also two ways in which a scoring space is deemed available or open" to receive a playpiece:

I. As a general rule, a playpiece may be removed from a playing position to a scoring space only if the control letters designating the two positions are identical, and a space so designated in the scorecard is unoccupied by a playpiece. FIG. 5 illustrates removal, in accordance with this rule, of playpiece 80 from row A to scoring space A, according to the coupling indicia, the control letters. 2. There is also a special rule that a playpiece may be removed from a playing position marked X, to any unoccupied space in the scorecard. FIG. 5 illustrates removal of playpiece 82 from playing position A8, row A to a scoring space marked L. Ordinarily this would be in violation of the rules, but in the present case it is allowed, since the board shown has, like the board of FIG. I, an X under the playing position concerned.

A bonus X is also illustrated at 68 in FIG. 4, as one of a number of movable accessories for the game. These accessories include control letter 70, control letter cover 72, missed word cover 66, scoring cover 74, three-star bonus playpiece 76 and five-star bonus playpiece 78. The accessories may be cemented in place, as required.

The use of movable control letters and bonus Xs, in contrast with the fixed elements of FIG. 1, provides additional flexibility in programming.

The three-star and five-star bonuses shown in FIG. 4 may be used as letters-of-choice in similar manner to the X bonus described. The three-star letter is attained by winning three playpieces bearing stars on the underside (as on 42, FIG. 2) before winning any other playpieces. The five-star bonus is attained by winning five playpieces bearing stars, in any sequence with other playpieces won. Control letter covers are used to hide the row control letters shown in FIG. 1, in an optional embodiment of the game apparatus.

FIG. 6 illustrates this embodiment, in which each individual playpiece 84 is marked with a control letter, either permanently, as at 86, or by application of a movable control letter 70, FIG. 4.

Also shown in FIG. 6 at 84 is a further variation on the basic playpiece. In this version, answer and questions appear together on the face of the piece, and no external code such as color is required to identify the group. FIG. 7 shows that where the chosen word is one of the words on top, it will be on the bottom of some playpiece of the same group.

FIG. 8 illustrates a provision that if control letters are not displayed at an end ofa row or on the tops of the playpieces, the control letters on the bottoms of the playpieces may be found by the players to be varied or to be alternate, so that a control letter when concealed is not necessarily predictable from knowledge about another playpiece.

FIG. 9 shows a scorecard 90 which may be used in place of the scorecards'prcviously described.

A scoring cover 74 is placed over a number each time a control letter is won or lost. The winning player is the player who first reaches the highest number in the winning column 92, or the player who remains after all other players have reached the highest number in the losing column 94.

As an educational aid, the form of the playpieces may take the form as shown in FIG. 2A. This approach is designed to have the participant associate the meaning of material (as seen with the alphabet) when its form is changed. In this manner the familiar or easily recognized material may be employed to being attention to its counterpart (as seen with the capital A and the small a), and as the game is played both should become equated from a visual effect. It should be noted that the application does not require an additional chance element, because it is specifically oriented toward educating the participant.

The game may be played by four individuals as four contestants or paired as two sets of partners, by three or two individual contestants, or played solitaire.

Partners may play opposite each other as individuals, and one partner may forfeit a letter intentionally to the other when he loses while playing in his partners sector.

In solitary play, the player is first awarded a bonus playpiece as a starter. He may begin playing at any place on the board. When he fails to select the right answer he must move to the next sector and continue observing the rules given above in reference to such failure. If he forms the word designated on the scorecard he wins the game; if he loses all his letters he loses the game.

It will be noted that within the framework of this disclosure many variations are possible without violation of the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

I. An educational game apparatus comprising: plural twosided playpieces; each playpiece having on one side a symbol and on the other side a second symbol synonymous with the first said symbol and; a game board marked with plural rows of unique playing positions in triangular array and having a plurality of said triangular arrays, sequence markings uniquely identifying each playing position within a triangular array, means for uniquely identifying the respective triangular arrays; a row of scoring spaces beneath each triangular array; a letter marking each scoring space, with the letters of each row of scoring spaces forming a word; letters from the word respectively designating the rows of playing positions and differently arranged within the several triangular arrays whereby all said playing spaces positions and scoring spaces are respectively adapted for display for selection of said pieces and for corresponding display of said pieces for scoring during the courseofa game.

2. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, said playpieces being grouped by having the same symbol on one side of each playpiece in a group and a different synonymous symbol on the other side of the respective playpieces, whereby an element of chance is provided in the game by preventing certain prediction of the synonymous symbol from observation of the first said symbol.

3. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the letters designating the rows of playing positions within the triangular arrays are removable.

4. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein all said playpieces have on one side thereof a letter from said word, and wherein covers are provided for all said letters designating the rows of playing positions, thereby providing for handicapping the game by designation of scoring positions directly on the playpieces.

5. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, a scorecard having two sets of sequential markings thereon designated for positive and negative scoring, and two movable markers, whereby positive and negative scoring according to letters won and letters lost by a player may be indicated. 

1. An educational game apparatus comprising: plural two-sided playpieces; each playpiece having on one side a symbol and on the other side a second symbol synonymous with the first said symbol and; a game board marked with plural rows of unique playing positions in triangular array and having a plurality of said triangular arrays, sequence markings uniquely identifying each playing position within a triangular array, means for uniquely identifying the respective triangular arrays; a row of scoring spaces beneath each triangular array; a letter marking each scoring space, with the letters of each row of scoring spaces forming a word; letters from the word respectively designating thE rows of playing positions and differently arranged within the several triangular arrays whereby all said playing spaces positions and scoring spaces are respectively adapted for display for selection of said pieces and for corresponding display of said pieces for scoring during the course of a game.
 2. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, said playpieces being grouped by having the same symbol on one side of each playpiece in a group and a different synonymous symbol on the other side of the respective playpieces, whereby an element of chance is provided in the game by preventing certain prediction of the synonymous symbol from observation of the first said symbol.
 3. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the letters designating the rows of playing positions within the triangular arrays are removable.
 4. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein all said playpieces have on one side thereof a letter from said word, and wherein covers are provided for all said letters designating the rows of playing positions, thereby providing for handicapping the game by designation of scoring positions directly on the playpieces.
 5. An educational game apparatus as recited in claim 1, a scorecard having two sets of sequential markings thereon designated for positive and negative scoring, and two movable markers, whereby positive and negative scoring according to letters won and letters lost by a player may be indicated. 